Plenty of Trump supporters are not racist; they just get lumped in and we need to guard against over generalising. See: Basket of Deplorables. Most people are not politically aware and give politics little thought beyond elections. Better dialogue - bridge building, despite the effort - can only happen when we stop thinking us-vs-them.

I've met a few Trump fans over the holidays at other people's parties and they weren't rabid loons. They were open to discussion once reassured there was a greater good at stake. Reducing things to us-vs-them / Right or Wrong rarely generates trust.

It's not the common voter we should scrutinise but the special interest groups who happily stoke the fires of discontent. Divide and conquer by getting us to squabble among ourselves. Dialectics 101.

Trump clearly articulated an "America First" policy, and appears to be executing accordingly. It would be silly to expect otherwise, and frankly disappointing if he were to act contrary to it. It is not a position of impartiality. It is full of intent and purpose, unlike previously ambiguities. Americans voted it for, despite the megalomaniac personality of Trump. Now the sooner the political establishment acknowledges this, the sooner we can get rid of Trump.

Trump clearly articulated an "America First" policy, and appears to be executing accordingly. It would be silly to expect otherwise, and frankly disappointing if he were to act contrary to it. It is not a position of impartiality. It is full of intent and purpose, unlike previously ambiguities. Americans voted it for, despite the megalomaniac personality of Trump. Now the sooner the political establishment acknowledges this, the sooner we can get rid of Trump.

Except it's not a sincere America First policy; it's "My Mates and Special Interests First / SWAMP" policy. Perhaps it's naïve to expect otherwise but the voters have been duped. The man is an expert negotiator and clearly a devious manipulator. Intent and purpose? Hmm.

Except it's not a sincere America First policy; it's "My Mates and Special Interests First / SWAMP" policy. Perhaps it's naïve to expect otherwise but the voters have been duped. The man is an expert negotiator and clearly a devious manipulator. Intent and purpose? Hmm.

So it is depicted as such by rhetoric, although it is already delivering real results. Many indications already that more than half the country is richer after this past year. He is doing what he said he would, and it is already working. Time will tell if and how it gets derailed. But the direction so far has been good for many Americans.

So it is depicted as such by rhetoric, although it is already delivering real results. Many indications already that more than half the country is richer after this past year. He is doing what he said he would, and it is already working. Time will tell if and how it gets derailed. But the direction so far has been good for many Americans.

Indeed half the country, but not his base?

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People who don't pay taxes can't really have their taxes cut. But they may find employment so they can pay taxes later. People who own real estate, retirement plans or stocks have seen their net worth increase in the past year.

People who don't pay taxes can't really have their taxes cut. But they may find employment so they can pay taxes later. People who own real estate, retirement plans or stocks have seen their net worth increase in the past year.

You only benefit from retirement plans when you actually retire; until then they can go up or down or even completely disappear

...People who own real estate, retirement plans or stocks have seen their net worth increase in the past year.

On the simplest level this is true, but these gains are only on paper (or computer if you like) for now. Unless you sell everything you have today and take those gains in hard cash, they're just pretty looking figures.

Many pension plans were up substantially before the most recent two stock market tanks in 2001 and 2008. There's no evidence there will be a crash in 2018, but it's foolish to assume there won't be a correction at some point or that there will never be a crash while Trump is president. Trump can do a lot to influence policy but he can't totally control the markets. It's a global economy with a lot of factors at play.

Article from 2015 on how Warren Buffett "lost" $11 billion in a selloff period here:

On the simplest level this is true, but these gains are only on paper (or computer if you like) for now. Unless you sell everything you have today and take those gains in hard cash, they're just pretty looking figures.

Many pension plans were up substantially before the most recent two stock market tanks in 2001 and 2008. There's no evidence there will be a crash in 2018, but it's foolish to assume there won't be a correction at some point or that there will never be a crash while Trump is president. Trump can do a lot to influence policy but he can't totally control the markets. It's a global economy with a lot of factors at play.

Article from 2015 on how Warren Buffett "lost" $11 billion in a selloff period here:

Its the trendline that is worth noting, and trajectory certainly looks good. Certainly there will be bubbling, but volatility is part of a robust market. When prices go down, it is the time to buy.

Economic confidence is very high at the moment, and it even looks like the NYT is finally acknowledging Trump's impact. It is a sign that Trump has outlasted the failing NYT.

I'd give CNN less than 6 months to change direction. As for late night comedians, they can't remain late night comedians.

Democrats really need to get on the ball. Fake Russians and exaggerated Social Justice issues is not really going to do it. Trump is about to string them along on their DACA commitments and make them look worse. They need to start thinking of real American interests to work their way out of the wilderness.

...Economic confidence is very high at the moment, and it even looks like the NYT is finally acknowledging Trump's impact. It is a sign that Trump has outlasted the failing NYT.

I'd give CNN less than 6 months to change direction. As for late night comedians, they can't remain late night comedians...

Trump hasn't been in office even a year. He may outlast the NYT or he may not. The upswing in the markets may continue and it may not. There could be a shift in the markets that has nothing to do with Trump and his policies. Too early to count your chickens and all that.

And late night comedians can stick around a lot longer than presidents. Ask David Letterman and Jay Leno.

Trump’s tweet came in response to a new study that showed 2017 was the safest year effort for air travel.

In fact 2017 was the safest year on record for air travel—in a dead heat with 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011 and 2010, in all of which there were no fatalities. And guess what? All were on Obama's watch.

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Meanwhile there is a rumour circulating that the whole FBI Trump campaign Russia collusion investigation started after Papadopoulos told an Australian official that the Russians had emails with damaging information from Hillary.
After the emails were released the Australians informed US officials.

For the past few weeks the GOP has been building a story that the investigation of Trump campaign collusion is all based on a fake dossier paid for by the Clinton campaign; this in an effort to discredit the investigation.

The founders of Fusion GPS took to the pages of the New York Times (NYT) to push back against Republicans who have attacked the firm over their dossier related to the Trump Russia investigation — and to urge that their testimony be released.

In their op-ed, Simpson and Fritsch urged Congress to release their testimony: "Republicans have refused to release full transcripts of our firm’s testimony, even as they selectively leak details to media outlets on the far right. It’s time to share what our company told investigators."

"We’re extremely proud of our work to highlight Mr. Trump’s Russia ties," they wrote. "To have done so is our right under the First Amendment."